Process and apparatus for treating oils



March 8,1927.

L. C. HUFF PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING OILS Filed July 3, 1924 Ig a Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,619,977 PATENT OFFICE.

LYHAN C. RUFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL IIRODUCTSCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING. OILS.

Application filed July 3, 1924. Serial No. 724,077.

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for treatinghydrocarbon 011s, and refers more particularly to improvements designedto promote the production of a maximum yield of light hydrocarbons fromheavy hydrocarbons.

In its particular aspects the inventlon is directed to improvements inthe arrangement and position of the preheating coils within the furnace.

In the drawing, the single figure 1s a side elevational view, partly insection of the ap aratus.

fieferring in detail to the drawing, 1

designates a furnace having the flue passage 2,, stack 3, controlled bydamper 4, said flue passage beiniguprovided with auxiliary damper 5. Thernace is of the side fired type being heated by means of the burners 6and having the centrally positloned baflie 7 to form the combustionchamber 8. On

the 0 posite side of the bafile 7 are positione a plurality of sets ofheating 0011s 9 and 10, arranged in this instance, parallel.

Referring to the bank of heating coils 9, oil may be charged theretothrqigh the hue 11 on which is mounted pressure gauge 12 and in which isinterposed valve 13, said line 11 communicating with the pump 14 drawingoil from any suitable source of storage or supply through inlet 15. Thebank of tubes 10 may be charged through the line 16 in which isinterposed the meter 17 pressure gauge 18 and valve 19, said line 16communicating with the pump 14. At a point referably above the center ofthe horizontal banks of tubes, of which there may be any number, they.combine into one coil as shown at 20 having the outlet 21. A meter 17may be interposed in line 11.

Referring now to the operation of the invention, and the reason for theparticular construction shown, it has always been a problem to minimizethe friction encountered in passing oil through a continuous coil. Ithas been found that when oil is passed through a continuous coil of say3500 linear feet of three to four inch pipe mounted in the furnace itencounters a frictional 0 position of upwards of 100 pounds. I havediscovered that by so arranging the coils in separate banks or sets thatthe same number of linear feet can be utilized, and the frictionalresistance will be cut down very materially, less than 50 pounds. The

advantage of this from the standpoint of )umping the oil will be at onceapparent. n addition, the separate coils combining into one coil at thepoint 20 at the zone of highest temperature will assist in increasingthe velocity of the oil as it approaches this hottest zone to preventprecipitation or dropping out of any carbon in the coil while at thesame time maintaining the desirable effect of a single coil relative tothis point.

In addition, by increasing thevelocity of the oil as it approaches thepoint of critical temperature after having been previously subjected toa soakingheating in the parallel coils will result in any carbon whichmay be precipitated being washed along and carried by the oil under theincreased ve locity. Thus the tube friction is materially decreasedthrough a bank of tubes, thus elim inating costly pumping and highfriction pressure. The oil flowing in parallel tubes will be heated toapproximately the same temperature in the parallel coils, The. line 21may lead to any suitable reaction chamber Where vaporization occurs.

The spent gases of combustion passing through the flue chamber 2 may bepassed out of the stack by opening the damper 4 and closing the damper5, or they may be recirculated in any suitable manner by closing thedamper 4 and opening the damper 5.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of treating hydrocarbon oils, consisting in forcing the oilunder pressure in a plurality of independent streams through a furnace,Where'said oil is progressively heated, increasing the velocity of theoil approaching the point of highest heat by combining the oil streamsinto a less number of streams.

2. A process for treating hydrocarbon oil, consisting in placing the oilunder pressure, in lowering the velocity of the oil during a preheatingtreatment by separating the oil into a plurality of independent streamsin which streams the oil flows through that portion of a heating zonewherein the lowest temperature is maintained, in increasing the velocityof the oil prior to its passage through that portion of the heating zonewherein the maximum temperature is imparted to the oil by again unitingsaid streams.

3. A process for treating hydrocarbon oil, consisting in passing the oilin a plurality of streams through that portion of a heating zonemaintained at the lowest temperature, in increasing the velocity of theoil to prevent precipitation of carbon when the oil is subjected to adecomposing temperature by uniting said streams prior to the passage ofthe oil through that portion of the heating zone wherein the maximumtemperature is imparted to the oil.

4. An apparatus for treating hydrocarbon oil, comprising a heating zone,a plurality of preheating coils positioned in that portion of theheating zone wherein the lowest temperature is maintained, saidplurality of preheating coils being united into a single elongatedheating coil positioned in that portion of the heating zone wherein themaximum temperature is maintained and means for supplying oil underpressure to said preheating coils.

5. A process for treating hydrocarbon oil consisting in passing the oilin a pluralit of streams during its initial flow throng a heating zoneand while being subjected to preliminary heating therein, in thereafterincreasing the velocity of the oil during a substantial portion of itsflow through the heating zone by uniting said streams prior to the finalheating of the oil in the heating zone.

LYMAN C. HUFF.

